Tractor mounted seeder and fertilizer



May 12, 1953 e. B. LYERLY TRACTOR MOUNTED SEEDER AND FERTILIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1948 Grover B. Lyer/y INVENTOR.

BY M,

May 12, 1953 B, LYERLY 2,638,350

" TRACTOR MOUNTED SEEDER AND FERTILIZER Filed Aug. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

Grover B. Lyer/y 33 INVENTOR.

Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT TRACTOR/MOUNTED SEEDER AND FERTILIZER Grover B. Lyerly, J onesboro, Ill.

Application August 2, 1948, Serial No. 41,945

- 2 Claims.

' 1 My invention relates to improvements in trac tor mounted seeders and fertilizers of the broadcaster type.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed apparatus operative by the rear power take-off of a farm tractor to broadcast seed, or fertilizer, from the rear of the tractor in advance of ground cultivating or rolling implements carried by the tractor powerlift mechanism, and which will not interfere with the operation of the power-lift mechanism to raise or lower such implements.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type and for the purpose above set forth which is adapted for attachment to the usual farm tractor without altering the tractor, and which will not get out of order from long use and is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and service.

broken away and shown in section of the seed and fertilizer broadcaster;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and drawn to a still larger scale; and, v

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3 and drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the tractor I on which my improved seed and fertilizer broadcaster is especially designed to be mounted is of the conventional type equipped with rear power-lift mechanism including a pair of vertically swingable rear side lift arms 2 operative through links 3 and'hydraulically operative cranks, one of which is shown at 4, on a transverse rock shaft journallecl above the differential casing 6 of the tractor I. The side liftarms 2 are usually connected to an implement carrying bar, not shown, for cultivator implements, or to .a ground Working roller, not shown. The power lift mechanism further includes a vertically movable compression and tension bar] .extending rearwardlyfrom the tractor in the longitudinal center thereof, above the side lift arms 2 from a rocker 8 pivoted on said casing 6 to operate a spring pressed control shaft 9 for controlling the power lift mechanism, all as is well known and understood in the art and fully set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,118,- to H. G. Ferguson to which attention is invited for details of such mechanism.

The seed and fertilizer broadcaster of my invention comprises a hopper II], of any suitable material, for seed or fertilizer mounted, by means presently described, at the rear of the tractor I between the side lift arms 2 and forwardly of the rear ends of said arms for a particular purpose presently seen. The hopper I0 is provided with a vertical central slot II to straddle the compression and tension bar I and so as to extend above and below said bar and permit working of 'said bar without interfering with said hopper.

The bottom I2 of the hopper I0 inclines downwardly from both sides I3 thereof to the open bottom of the slot II and opens adjacent to said slot into the upper ends of branches Id of a Y- shaped dropper boot I5 depending from the bottom of said hopper I0 in the center thereof.

A pair of gate valves I6 suitably mounted in the bottom I2 of the hopper I0 provide for opening and closing the upper ends of branches I4, said valves being preferably of the sliding type. Bolts [1 in said valves I6 projected through slots I8 in the bottom I2 of the hopper II] and having wing nuts I9 thereon provide for securing the valves I6 in open or closed positions by turning of said wing nuts against the bottom I2 of said hopper.

A pair of horizontal side angle bars 20 extend forwardly from opposite sides of the hopper I0 and are suitably detachably attached, as by bolts 2|, to the usual fenders 22 for the rear tractor wheels 23. A similar pair of bars 24 extend forwardly from the bottom I2 of the hopper I0 at the lower end and opposite sides of the slot II and are suitably secured, as by bolts 25, to the differential casing Ii. The angle bars 20, 24 support the hopper I 0 on the tractor well forwardly of the rear ends of the side lift arms 2 out of interfering relation to implements attached to said arms 2 in the manner already referred to.

A pair of rotary agitator reels 26 in the bottom portion of the hopper II), directly over the upper ends of the branches I4 of the dropper boot I5 have the shafts 2'! thereof suitably journalled in said hopper I0 and extending forwardly out of said hopper with a-pair offront OFFICE end sprocket wheels 28 fastened thereon to be driven as presently described.

A rotary broadcaster disc 29 is provided beneath the lower end of the dropper boot l and is fast on a vertical shaft 30 journalled in vertical alignment with said boot in a skeleton bracket depending from said boot and fixed thereto by an annulus,- 32 forming part of saidbracket and suitably fastened to said lower end of said boot IS, in a manner not shown. Thebroadcaster disc 29 is provided with radial fins 33 for causing said disc to throw seed or fertilizer falling thereon broadcast in a manner which will be understood. The broadcaster disc 29 has a bottom ring gear 3. 2, thereon inmesh with a subjacent spur gear 35 fast on a horizontal forwardly extending driven shaft 348' icon nalled at one end in a bearing 3'! forming a part oi the bracket. 3-1 driven shatt 3% terms, on extension. of the rear. power tahesofr 38 ot the tractor l andis. detachably coupled. to Said shatt. 3:8 by a suitable coupling: 35'. A driven sprocket wheel at is. fast. on the. driven shaft- 365: in a common plane. with. the sprocket; wheels 28. A sprocket chain 4t extends from: the sprocket wheel 40. over the; sprocket wheels 2% and is. looped: downwardly between the sprocket wheels. 2t under an idler sprocket Wheel 42 fast on a. horizontal shaft journalled in bearings- 43 on. pairs of; hanger bars Mi depending; item the bars. 2-4 im front oi and behind the dropper boot Id with-lower endsioined by a split claanpfi ing band- 45 clamped. around the lowerend. of. the seed dropper. boot [5; by abolt M3,. The hanger bars 44, brace; the dropperboot. as: be clear, from: the bars 241 and hold: said boot up; in proper position relative; to, the hopper to.

The manner in which the invention operates. will be; readily understood. As the.- tractor t is driven forwardly tor cultivation or ggrotmd. rol=1..-

inc, nurposea. seed or; fertilizer in the hopper Id feeds by r y. nder control of: the gate: valves; li.-,, into. the branches 14. of the dropper: boot, t5 to drop; out of said booth onto.- the bnoadcastex' discilfil, With the; power: tahe-ofi shaft 3 operating, the broadcaster.- disc: 2 9- rota-ted to; throw tha seed or; fertilizer... thereon broadcast under theaction ofcerttriiuga-l, force. At the; same time,v the; spro ket: and. s ar. drive includ inc; thasprockot. wheels; 4.0,, 28;. 42; and the-sprocket chainimparts rotation.- to,v the: agitator reels: 25,- which agitate the eed, or fertilizer imthe: bottom portion of. the hopper H1: to. present. the: branches M of the dropper boot !5 from bfififlmr ing; clo ged.- at. the. hopher. Aswi-l-l. be manifest, thasced, or ierti-l-izeryis broadcastinlfrontlot any, gnoundeworking implements which may be attachcd to, the. hydraulic power-lift mechanism of: the. tractor 1;, so that the seed, or fertilizer, is tu ned. or rolled, as the. case. may be. into, the ground, the broadcaster discifi operating; well in front at such implements. to. broadcast Well in fnontofthe same.

The. foregoing will; it is believed, suflice. to 1m.- part a clear understanding of myinventihmwithoutfurther explanation...

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptibleof modification, without departing, from the inventive concept, and right is herein re served' to such modifications as. fall within the scope ojthe appended claims.

Havingdescribed the invention, what is claimed as-new-is:

1:. Seed and. fertilizer broadcasting apparatus fot'mounting, at the rear of-"a tractor-tome driven by the rear power take-01f of the tractor comprising a hopper having a vertical central bottom recess therein of sufficient width and depth to straddle a vertically movable rear power lift control bar on the tractor without impeding free movement of said bar, a pair of horizontal upper hopper mounting bars. fixed to, opposite sides of the hopper and adapted to be fixed to opposite sides of the tractor, a pair of lower horizontal hopper mounting bars fixed to the bottom of the hopper atopposite sides of the recess and adapted to be attached to the tractor, said pairs of bars supporting the hopper at the rear of the tractor said recess adapted to straddle said control bar in. the plane of vertical movement thereof, a Y-shaped dropper boot depending from the bottom. of the hopper from opposite sides of said recess and into which; said hopper discharges upon both sides. at the recess adjustable discharge control valves in. said hopper, a rotary broadcasting member beneath the bottom of; the boot, a bracket. mounting for said member attached, to said boot,, a drive for said member in-- eluding; a. drivenshaft. journ-aled on said bracket and. adapted to be coupled to said powertake-oh av pair of agitator reels over the: upper ends. of said. boot hating shafts j ournaled. in the hopper and. extending forwardly out of. the: same. and a sprocket. and: chain. drive between said driven shaft and the extending, ends of: the: shafts: oi saidrcela i2.v Seed and fertilizer broadcasting apparatus for-mounting at-the; rear of a tractor to be drivenby the: rear power tEtlQG-Ofi? of the tractor oomprising, a hopper having a vertical central bot..- tom. recess therein ot' sofficient. width, and depth to straddle a vertically movable. rear" power lift control. bar on the! tractor without impeding free movement of. said ban, a pair a: horizontal upper hopper. mounting; bars. fixed ta opposite: sides oi the; hopper and; adapted. to be fixed to. opposite.- sides. or;v the; tractor, a pair oi lower horizontal hoppermoun-tingbars fixed; to the bottom. of the hopper at opposite sides of the recess and adapted to be attached to the tractor:,.. saidipairs, 0t. bars snpporting the hopper at, the; near of. the tractor with said recess; adapted to) straddle said. control bar in the plane; ct verticali movement thereoi, a Y-shaped dropper boot depending from thebottom of the. hopper from opposite sides or said recess: and: into. which said hopper discharges upon both sides of the; rccesa. adjustable.- dis.- charge control valves in. said, hopper,v a; rotary broadcasting member. beneath. the bottom; ot the hoot,. a. bracket. mountingion said; membercarried by the lower end of. the boot, anda' dmivefor. said, member; including, a driven. shaft jonrnaled at oneemt onzsaid bracket. and having.a;coupling. on its other end adapted for attachment. to. saidpower-taheroft.

GRQVERB. LYERLX...

References (*Eited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES; PATENTS Number: Name: Date:

36545t9= Hoth'aim Juna28;. 864,595 Aspinwali: e Augz. 19cm 11,285;1;83-: Holden Nova. 19, 19-18: 1*,61391195: Roby" 1n, 1192472 12,655,280: Boiningeret a1. m J 1.0, 1.,Q40;008-\ Minsgrove. Dec. 19; 11933: 2512431198; Kriegbaum et a1. J uly: 193 19% 2',162;689; Mayfield'. J time 201;. 932 2256 655; Stewart .c Sept; zaran 242933917 Hofi'stette1r Aeug. 119.42: 

